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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. H. AKBSTBR. ELEGTRIGKARG LAMP.

No. 496,386. Patented Apr. 25, 1893,

gw fue (No Model.) 2 Sheets- Sheet 2.

W. H. AKESTER. ELECTRIC ARG LAMP.

No. 496,36. Patented Apr. 25, 1893.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM HOPKIN AKESTER, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

ELECTRIC-ARC LAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 496,386, dated April 25, 1893. Application tiled September 9, 1892. Serial No. 445,474. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HoPKIN AKEs- TER, electrician, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Fulham, London, in the county of Middlesex, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Arc Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the construction of electric arc lamps whereby the striking of the arc, the maintaining of the carbons at the required distance from each other, and the feeding of the same are effected in a more regular and reliable manner than is the case with similar lamps, as ordinarily constructed,while, at the same time, the mechanism for effecting those objects is greatly simplified and less liable to get out of order. The runner, carrying the positive or upper carbon, which is made heavier than that carrying the negative or lower carbon, is arranged to slide up and down on the two vertical side rods of the lamp in the Well known manner and is connected to one end of a chain, or other suitable flexible connection which passes over a sprocket or other suitable wheel or pulley mounted on a spindle at the upper part of the lamp the other end of the flexible connection being connected to the upper part of a rod xed to and projecting vertically from, the runner carrying the negative carbon. In close proximity to the before mentioned wheel or pulley, is arranged a solenoid, provided with a hollow movable soft iron core, through the center of which passes freely that end of the iiexible connection which is connected to the runner of the positive carbon. The said wheel or pulley is mounted loosely on a spindle carried by suitable bearingsin a bracket fixed to the top plate or other convenient part of the frame of the lamp. Both ends of such spindle project beyond the sides of the wheel or pulley, and upon one end, which is formed with screw threads, is placed a nut, the aperture in which is grooved to correspond with the screw threads on the spindle, fixed to and projecting from the said nut is an arm, the outer end of which is connected with the upper part of the core of the solenoid, on the opposite end of the spindle is fixed an arm the outer end of which is connected by a spring with the frame of the lamp.

In order that the said invention may be more clearly understood, and readily carried into effect, I will proceed aided bythe accompanying drawings more fully to describe the same. l In the drawings-Figure l represents an elevation partly in section of an electric arc lamp constructed according to the present invention and with the globe removed. Fig. 2 is an elevation thereof taken at right angles to Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line l-l of Fig. l. Fig. 4 represents a portion of the upper part of Fig. l drawn to an enlarged scale, and, Fig. 5 is a similar View of the upper part of Fig. 2.

In the several figures like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference.

d represents the runner which carries the positive or upper carbon a in the usual man ner, while b represents the carrier for the negative or lower carbon b. The carrier a3 of the upper carbon which is insulated by a mica plate d3* is made heavier than the carrier b of the lower carbon, and it is arranged to slide up and down upon two vertical side rods c of the lamp in the manner now well known, and the carrier a3 is connected by means of a rod o2 to one end of a chain or other suitable flexible connection CZ which passes over a sprocket wheel d (or it might be any other suitable form of wheel or pulley) mounted loosely on a short shaft or axle d2 carried in bearings in a bracket from a tube e connecting the two plates e e* of the frame of the lamp, or, if desired, the bracket might be carried by the top plate c or other convenient part of the frame of the lamp. The other end of the flexible connection d is connected with the upper end of a rod b2 rising vertically from the carrier b of the negative carbon b.

Immediately beneath the sprocket wheel or pulley d and fixed to the tube e is arranged a solenoid f provided with a hollow movable soft iron core f through the center of which passes freely the rod d which at one end is connected with the flexible connection d and at the other end is connected with the runner ct of the positive carbon ct.

The sprocket wheel d is mounted at or near the center of the shaft or axle (Pand one end of such shaft is mounted with capability of IOO revolution in its bearings in the bracket dit, a disk or collar dw* being formed or xed upon the shaft cl2 and located between the bearings thereof and the sprocket wheel d while the other end of the shaft or axle d2 is formed with several quick screw threads d2* thereon, upon which is placed a nut g which is threaded to correspond with the thread dzf. The nut g has formed thereon or fixed thereto an arm g the outer end of which is by a link g2 connected with the upper end of the core f of the solenoid f While upon the opposite end of the shaft or spindle cl2 is fixed an arm d3 the upper end of which is by a spring d4 connected with the frame of the lamp.

The action of the mechanism hereinbefore described is as followsz-i/Vhen no current is passing through the lamp the superior weight of the carrier a3 brings the carbons a b into contact, but upon a current being admitted it passes by the terminal f* and conductor f2 to the coil of the solenoid f and after passing therethrough it is led by the conductor f3 to the carrier a3 of the upper carbon a', it thence passes through the carbons c b', carrier b, rod b2, and the frame of the lamp to the terminal 6*. The passage of the current through the coil f of the solenoid causes the soft iron core f to be raised or drawn farther into the center of the solenoid, and the arm g of the nut g is through the link g2 thereby raised causing the nut g to travel upon the screw thread d2* upon the spindle cl2 and to bind or grip the sprocket wheel d against the collar dWe While in the continued ascent of the core f the resistance of the spring d4 will be overcome, and the spindle d2 and sprocket wheel d will be partially revolved thereby separating the carbons a b and striking the arc. The intensity of the current being now diminished-the core f of the solenoid f will descend to its normal position, and will thereby revolve the nut g in the opposite direction and release the sprocket wheel d from the disk or collar dw* the spindle d2 being restored to its normal position by the action of the spring d4 through the arm cl3.

Having now particularly described and -ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim isl. In an electric arc lamp, the combination of two carriers for the upper and lower carbons, connectedthrough suitable rods or the like, by means of a flexible connection, a sprocketwheel or pulley loosely mounted upon its shaft over which the flexible connection passes, a spring for normally holding the sprocket wh eel shaft in a given position, a collar upon the shaft located upon one side of the sprocket wheel, a screw thread upon the other end of the shaft, a nut loosely engaging the screw thread, a solenoid, an arm or projection from the nut and a link connecting the core of the solenoid with such arm, substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose stated.

2. In an electric arc lamp, a regulating device consisting of a shaft, a wheel mounted loosely thereon, a spring or the like for normally retaining the shaft in a given position, a screw thread upon the shaft, a nut loosely engaging the screw thread and adapted to engage the wheel, means for causing the carbons to rise and fall by the rotation of the Wheel, a solenoid and suitable connections from the core of the solenoid to the nut for causing the same to partially revolve with the rise or fall thereof, substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose stated.

WILLIAM IIOPKIN AKESTER.

Witnesses:

GEO. S. VAUGHAN, 57 Chancery Lane, London.

S. E. HAWKrNs, 24 Victoria Rd., Forest Gate, London. 

